Did Colbert Bit Go Too Far?

It seemed like an idea for a comedy sketch. So it came as no surprise when Stephen Colbert covered the story on his Comedy Central TV show.

In the first part of the segment, Colbert slyly pointed out the absurdity, at one point suggesting that the new Indian overlords “might build burial grounds on top of our sacred malls.” Then he turned a different camera to address Native Americans. Can you guess what came next?

Oh yes he did. Colbert’s shtick, of course, is to play a Fox News–style blowhard, all indignation and damn the facts. Colbert the character says dumb, belligerent things that Colbert the person wouldn’t. But you have to be careful when joking about race. Was the crowd laughing at Colbert-the-character’s dated, insensitive, cartoonish view of Native Americans? Or were they simply laughing at Native Americans? You be the judge: